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Victory
Axel Heyst, a dreamer and a restless drifter, believes he can avoid suffering by cutting himself off from others. Then he becomes involved in the operation of a coal company on a remote island in the Malay Archipelago, and when it fails he turns his back on humanity once more. But his life alters when he rescues a young English girl, Lena, from Zangiacomo's Ladies' Orchestra and the evil innkeeper Schomberg, taking her to his island retreat. The affair between Heyst and Lena begins with her release, but the relationship shifts as Lena struggles to save Heyst from the detachment and isolation that have inhibited and influenced his life. Marked by a violent and tragic conclusion, Victory is both a tale of rescue and adventure and a perceptive study of a complex relationship and of the power of love.
410 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1915
About the author
Joseph Conrad
3,125 books4,247 followersJoseph Conrad (born
Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski
) was a Polish-born English novelist who today is most famous for Heart of Darkness, his fictionalized account of Colonial Africa.
Conrad left his native Poland in his middle teens to avoid conscription into the Russian Army. He joined the French Merchant Marine and briefly employed himself as a wartime gunrunner. He then began to work aboard British ships, learning English from his shipmates. He was made a Master Mariner, and served more than sixteen years before an event inspired him to try his hand at writing.
He was hired to take a steamship into Africa, and according to Conrad, the experience of seeing firsthand the horrors of colonial rule left him a changed man.
Joseph Conrad settled in England in 1894, the year before he published his first novel. He was deeply interested in a small number of writers both in French and English whose work he studied carefully. This was useful when, because a need to come to terms with his experience, lead him to write Heart of Darkness, in 1899, which was followed by other fictionalized explorations of his life.
He has been lauded as one of the most powerful, insightful, and disturbing novelists in the English canon despite coming to English later in life, which allowed him to combine it with the sensibilities of French, Russian, and Polish literature.
Conrad left his native Poland in his middle teens to avoid conscription into the Russian Army. He joined the French Merchant Marine and briefly employed himself as a wartime gunrunner. He then began to work aboard British ships, learning English from his shipmates. He was made a Master Mariner, and served more than sixteen years before an event inspired him to try his hand at writing.
He was hired to take a steamship into Africa, and according to Conrad, the experience of seeing firsthand the horrors of colonial rule left him a changed man.
Joseph Conrad settled in England in 1894, the year before he published his first novel. He was deeply interested in a small number of writers both in French and English whose work he studied carefully. This was useful when, because a need to come to terms with his experience, lead him to write Heart of Darkness, in 1899, which was followed by other fictionalized explorations of his life.
He has been lauded as one of the most powerful, insightful, and disturbing novelists in the English canon despite coming to English later in life, which allowed him to combine it with the sensibilities of French, Russian, and Polish literature.
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May 1, 2024
What do you do when no effort of your own succeeds? When life seems a cruel joke, the universe itself absurd?
You turn within.
Joseph Conrad had told me before, in 1970, that life has need of our ultimate sacrifice in the face of absurdity - in Lord Jim.
Now, once again, in 1974, he was telling me no happily-ever-after survives the storm - save in your heart. Where it counts.
Again, sacrifice is key. Sacrifice, as the composer Elliott Carter latinized in the title of his lonely epitaph to his once-forever wife, his Symphonia, as the prize of hope within a meaningless flux. It is hope somehow made lapidary in a ceaseless storm.
The Storm of Absurdity tossed me around mercilessly when my first fiance left me on the pretext of her restlessness, for a new and casually promising young man in 1974. But my loss was also my gain.
For in that storm of mood stabilizers that followed for me, I found NEW hope in this novel. For it presents, consciously, hope in a new stability of purpose: a sacrifice of love. It formed for me, miraculously, an iron will to live that life, at a time of my deep despair.
What else produced that will?
Well, one thing was the concurrent Watergate proceedings. That showed me Good CAN defeat Evil. Knowing that, and because of Conrad, I was able to say in my prayers that if there was one good and faithful girl I could snatch out of this chaotic storm of absurdity, I would do it.
All I could do would be to wait and hope.
If you've read my GR bio, you'll now be able to flesh the rest of the story out. And yes, I found her.
Life's an absurd thing, that’s for certain.
But against the storm of absurdity I was provided with an antidote in the determination of this book:
And that led, by a Transient and absurd Moment of Sweet Serendipity, to a domestic Peace beyond the world's Understanding.
You turn within.
Joseph Conrad had told me before, in 1970, that life has need of our ultimate sacrifice in the face of absurdity - in Lord Jim.
Now, once again, in 1974, he was telling me no happily-ever-after survives the storm - save in your heart. Where it counts.
Again, sacrifice is key. Sacrifice, as the composer Elliott Carter latinized in the title of his lonely epitaph to his once-forever wife, his Symphonia, as the prize of hope within a meaningless flux. It is hope somehow made lapidary in a ceaseless storm.
The Storm of Absurdity tossed me around mercilessly when my first fiance left me on the pretext of her restlessness, for a new and casually promising young man in 1974. But my loss was also my gain.
For in that storm of mood stabilizers that followed for me, I found NEW hope in this novel. For it presents, consciously, hope in a new stability of purpose: a sacrifice of love. It formed for me, miraculously, an iron will to live that life, at a time of my deep despair.
What else produced that will?
Well, one thing was the concurrent Watergate proceedings. That showed me Good CAN defeat Evil. Knowing that, and because of Conrad, I was able to say in my prayers that if there was one good and faithful girl I could snatch out of this chaotic storm of absurdity, I would do it.
All I could do would be to wait and hope.
If you've read my GR bio, you'll now be able to flesh the rest of the story out. And yes, I found her.
Life's an absurd thing, that’s for certain.
But against the storm of absurdity I was provided with an antidote in the determination of this book:
And that led, by a Transient and absurd Moment of Sweet Serendipity, to a domestic Peace beyond the world's Understanding.
April 17, 2021
Axel Heyst the "Swede," is running away but since it is himself he wants to escape from that is clearly an unattainable goal. Growing up with his crank of a father, a widower in London Town the elder Heyst, writes little books of his unpopular philosophy making a small profit, from the few who like them, and just gets by ... Having fled his native land, they didn't understand the Baron's unusual ideas ( not sure if he deserved that title) as nowhere else does, either. He despises the world and they would dislike him too, if he was known. But Axel, listens to his cold father maybe not the best for him, if no other reason than peace of mind . The boy feels alone when his father passed away, nothing new. Always a loner as if life was just a mirage, not real nothing to get excited over, a walking, unfeeling machine the detached man, floats about on land and sea. At last the dreamer, arriving in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) with no plans in his aimless life. After a failed business collapses, he goes to a second - rate Inn on a rather unimportant island to hear an all girls band, Zangiacomo's Ladies Orchestra, a novelty in the 1890's, they play loud but not well who cares ? Except the wanderer it hurts his ears, besides the women are no girls and their profession is not exactly being musicians. The lonely, placid Mr. Heyst sees a young and pretty damsel in distress (the other members are middle aged women), being physically hurt by the wife of the Orchestra's leader, she seems in need of help. Lena the name he gives her, she wanted something different for a fresh start , Alma before, didn't mingle with the audience between sessions, men of course . What worse is the odious inn-keeper Wilhelm Schomberg, has been harassing Alma/ Lena and he a married man with a homely wife. Mr. Heyst working fast with the helpful assistance of Mrs. Schomberg, she has good cause her husband is a beast ... in secret, the new couple fly to a remote exotic isle. Nobody is happy not the corrupt Mr. Zangiacomo or his evil wife or the rest of the notorious band, certainly neither is the vile and disappointed Mr.Schomberg who spreads wild rumors about his enemy Axel Heyst, to anyone silly enough to listen, yes maybe just the two love birds care. An opportunity happens when a trio of desperadoes stay in Schomberg's inn they cause trouble, illegal gambling in the back room, Pedro as big as an ape and as smart too, sleazy Martin Richardo a born killer with delusions of adequacy and their boss skeletal Mr. "Jones", dead man walking a gentleman almost, before being asked to leave society for unspecific wrong doings . The vengeful Schomderg spinning an elaborate crazy tale of hidden loot on Axel's island, so the three criminal travel to the active fiery volcano isle much to the relief of the inn-keeper, breaking the tranquil isolated existence in the shall we say unique"honeymooners" paradise. The couple liked to climb a high mountain reveling in the vast remote empty blue sea, below. Only the servant Wang for company in their modest house. Death awaits the unfortunate, on Samburan Island ...Joseph Conrad shows again his genius a man who learned a new language (several) and excelled in each.
September 5, 2021
CONTEMPLARE, SENZA MAI FARE RUMORE
1919, di Maurice Tourner (il padre di Jacques), cinema muto.
Ho deciso di leggerlo perché in un’intervista Joan Didion diceva che prima di iniziare un nuovo romanzo rileggeva sempre Victory di Conrad.
I have never started a novel, I’ve never written one without rereading Victory. It opens up the possibilities of a novel. It makes it seem worth doing.
Mi sono chiesto perché.
1930, “Dangerous Paradise” di William A. Wellman.
E adesso che anch’io ho letto Victory di Conrad, continuo a chiedermi perché.
Non mi sarei mai aspettato un melodramma con finale tragico da Conrad, che finora mi ha abituato a toni più asciutti e rarefatti, anche se sempre immersi nel caldo dei tropici.
Mi chiedo se è proprio il melodramma che spinge la Didion a definire Vittoria un romanzo “profondamente femminile”.
Solo che quando aggiunge che trova femminili anche ‘Nostromo’ e ‘Agente segreto’, io mi perdo nelle ombre e nei riflessi della vita.
E non mi ritrovo.
1931: ”Farornas paradis” di Rune Carlsten, una produzione svedese.
Qui si narra di un mondo e di una vita immersi nell’illusione. Qui si racconta il naufragio delle illusioni. E si commenta quanto possa essere patetico rinchiudersi nell’illusione.
1940: “Victory” di John Cromwell.
L’aspetto che mi ha colpito e convinto di più è il punto di vista del narratore: che è nascosto in un noi, confonde la sua voce con quella del pubblico di amici conoscenti ascoltatori e commentatori a cui si rivolgono di volta in volta i vari personaggi.
1987: Des Teufels Paradies” di Vadim Glowna, con Jürgen Prochnow, Sam Waterston, produzione tedesca.
Nella descrizione dei luoghi e della natura, Conrad rimane grande e maestoso anche questa volta.
1996: “Victory” di Mark Peploe.
Difficile a credere, ma ‘Vittoria’ sembra essere il romanzo di Conrad più saccheggiato dal cinema: ho contato una decina di adattamenti diversi, a cominciare dal 1919, ancora in piena epoca del muto, per finire al più recente di Mark Peploe (il cognato di Bernardo Bertolucci), con addirittura cinque film nel biennio 1930-31, di cui uno anche italiano, firmato da Mario Camerini e intitolato “La riva dei bruti”.
1919, di Maurice Tourner (il padre di Jacques), cinema muto.
Ho deciso di leggerlo perché in un’intervista Joan Didion diceva che prima di iniziare un nuovo romanzo rileggeva sempre Victory di Conrad.
I have never started a novel, I’ve never written one without rereading Victory. It opens up the possibilities of a novel. It makes it seem worth doing.
Mi sono chiesto perché.
1930, “Dangerous Paradise” di William A. Wellman.
E adesso che anch’io ho letto Victory di Conrad, continuo a chiedermi perché.
Non mi sarei mai aspettato un melodramma con finale tragico da Conrad, che finora mi ha abituato a toni più asciutti e rarefatti, anche se sempre immersi nel caldo dei tropici.
Mi chiedo se è proprio il melodramma che spinge la Didion a definire Vittoria un romanzo “profondamente femminile”.
Solo che quando aggiunge che trova femminili anche ‘Nostromo’ e ‘Agente segreto’, io mi perdo nelle ombre e nei riflessi della vita.
E non mi ritrovo.
1931: ”Farornas paradis” di Rune Carlsten, una produzione svedese.
Qui si narra di un mondo e di una vita immersi nell’illusione. Qui si racconta il naufragio delle illusioni. E si commenta quanto possa essere patetico rinchiudersi nell’illusione.
1940: “Victory” di John Cromwell.
L’aspetto che mi ha colpito e convinto di più è il punto di vista del narratore: che è nascosto in un noi, confonde la sua voce con quella del pubblico di amici conoscenti ascoltatori e commentatori a cui si rivolgono di volta in volta i vari personaggi.
1987: Des Teufels Paradies” di Vadim Glowna, con Jürgen Prochnow, Sam Waterston, produzione tedesca.
Nella descrizione dei luoghi e della natura, Conrad rimane grande e maestoso anche questa volta.
1996: “Victory” di Mark Peploe.
Difficile a credere, ma ‘Vittoria’ sembra essere il romanzo di Conrad più saccheggiato dal cinema: ho contato una decina di adattamenti diversi, a cominciare dal 1919, ancora in piena epoca del muto, per finire al più recente di Mark Peploe (il cognato di Bernardo Bertolucci), con addirittura cinque film nel biennio 1930-31, di cui uno anche italiano, firmato da Mario Camerini e intitolato “La riva dei bruti”.
May 8, 2017
Victory by Joseph Conrad is a dark, psychological thriller.
Like all of Conrad’s work, his mastery of the English language is immediately evident and he uses descriptive language of which D.H. Lawrence would be envious, especially when describing the villains. Victory is also reminiscent of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and in turn may have influenced Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.
Conrad created two of the most devilish, animalistic and brutish villains that ever plagued a story and are as bad as characters from Dickey or McCarthy. Additionally, Victory displays some of the most complex characterizations of Conrad’s bibliography. A careful student of Conrad’s work can see shades of Kurtz in Mr. Jones. As with many of Conrad’s writings, this deals with isolation, world-weariness, and distinctions between “civilized” and “native” societies and the ironies of atypical behaviors in each. Between the antagonists there is a recurring theme of tame versus untamed actions.
It seems that fans of Conrad generally fall into two camps, those who choose as their favorite Heart of Darkness and those who would select Lord Jim. I am definitively in the Heart of Darkness group, though I recognize the power of Lord Jim. F. Scott Fitzgerald said of Nostromo that if he could have written but one book, he would have wanted that book to be Nostromo. Victory, though it deals with many common themes of Conrad’s work, is a unique work in his canon and has a charm all its own and I could see where someone could say that it is his or her favorite.
Like all of Conrad’s work, his mastery of the English language is immediately evident and he uses descriptive language of which D.H. Lawrence would be envious, especially when describing the villains. Victory is also reminiscent of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and in turn may have influenced Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.
Conrad created two of the most devilish, animalistic and brutish villains that ever plagued a story and are as bad as characters from Dickey or McCarthy. Additionally, Victory displays some of the most complex characterizations of Conrad’s bibliography. A careful student of Conrad’s work can see shades of Kurtz in Mr. Jones. As with many of Conrad’s writings, this deals with isolation, world-weariness, and distinctions between “civilized” and “native” societies and the ironies of atypical behaviors in each. Between the antagonists there is a recurring theme of tame versus untamed actions.
It seems that fans of Conrad generally fall into two camps, those who choose as their favorite Heart of Darkness and those who would select Lord Jim. I am definitively in the Heart of Darkness group, though I recognize the power of Lord Jim. F. Scott Fitzgerald said of Nostromo that if he could have written but one book, he would have wanted that book to be Nostromo. Victory, though it deals with many common themes of Conrad’s work, is a unique work in his canon and has a charm all its own and I could see where someone could say that it is his or her favorite.
July 19, 2017
My victory over ‘Victory’ by Joseph Conrad was last-gasp and hard-fought. Unfortunately, I am not going to build any triumphal arches to commemorate it.
I feel like a veteran. For a few weeks I have been bombarded with boredom. Stabbed with a bayonet of disappointment. Outflanked by the characters I didn’t care about. Shot with conversations which led nowhere.
To cut a long story short, ‘Victory’ turned out to be almost a defeat. It doesn’t comfort me much to realize that one of my brothers in arms was Vladimir Nabokov, who almost fell in the field of glory too. He felt irritated by ‘souvenir-shop style, and bottled ships and shell necklaces of romanticist cliches’ in ‘Victory’.
Mind you, I'm not a recruit. It was the fourth novel by Conrad I've read after Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness and Almayer’s Folly. All of them were masterpieces, each in its unique way. I have been always impressed by Conrad's style, his ability to depict far away places and express moral dilemmas. The quality of writing in ‘Victory’ is exquisite too which sadly can't be told about the rest, though the novel operates on an interesting premise: Malay Archipelago between Java and Borneo, a girl stolen out of orchestra, romance, 'solitude, shade, and gloomy silence'. Mostly solitude.
If we could distil the beauty of Conrad's language, of his descriptions and observations, it would taste like nectar of the gods. I'm astonished every time I realize that Joseph Conrad was Polish and started to learn English in his twenties.
Chances are my musings are being read now by somebody who is about to start his or her literary acquaintance with Joseph Conrad. I’m begging you on my knees: don’t begin with ‘Victory’. This novel may give you a false image of the truly wonderful writer. Have it for an eccentric, exotic dessert, which will accentuate the taste of the nourishing main dishes you’ve had before. Conrad himself seemed to be a bit embarrassed by this novel. You will sense it for yourself while reading his preface. By the way, if you are a literary kamikaze and decide to embark on ‘Victory’ anyway, please don’t read the introduction before the novel, as it reveals too much.
I was a literary kamikaze myself. Orsodimondo, whose dazzling review was my inspiration, warned me that this is not Conrad’s best novel. Moreover, Orsodimondo's three stars twinkled alarmingly, but I was so determined to experience the author's sense of humour and see the portrait of woman so different from his other female characters.
It looked as if Conrad took into consideration some complaints of his readers and critics. As if they approached him and said ‘Look, Mr Conrad. You write great books, we like them a lot, except for two things: they are utterly depressing and misogynistic. Could you please do something about that?’ This is of course an imagined situation and its possibility is less than scarce. But I had the impression that Conrad was doing his best to fulfil such a request.
There are sparkles of humour in ‘Victory’ indeed: 'What an impenetrable girl you are, Lena, with those grey eyes of yours! Windows of the soul, as some poet has said. The fellow must have been a glazier by vocation.' Nevertheless, I found the overall impression devastating. The humour exists but only on the surface. Conrad’s ironical remarks are like rare fireflies in complete darkness. Darkness as black as the dress Lena had to wear to be invisible in the forest.
As for women, Alma alias Lena is definitely the most profound and complex female character I have encountered in Conrad's novels so far but I’m afraid nowadays some readers might get slightly infuriated with excerpts like: 'Women can deceive men so completely. The faculty was inherent in them; they seemed to be created with a special aptitude.'
I appreciate Conrad's attempt at a more ambitious literary form. ‘Victory’ resembles two other genres: a parable with a clear moral and a melodramatic love story. The contrast between them is an abyss and being constantly stretched over it, I wasn’t having the time of my life.
Will I read anything by Joseph Conrad after Pyrrhic 'Victory'? Time will tell but I'm willing to take the risk. My wounds weren't mortal, after all.
I feel like a veteran. For a few weeks I have been bombarded with boredom. Stabbed with a bayonet of disappointment. Outflanked by the characters I didn’t care about. Shot with conversations which led nowhere.
To cut a long story short, ‘Victory’ turned out to be almost a defeat. It doesn’t comfort me much to realize that one of my brothers in arms was Vladimir Nabokov, who almost fell in the field of glory too. He felt irritated by ‘souvenir-shop style, and bottled ships and shell necklaces of romanticist cliches’ in ‘Victory’.
Mind you, I'm not a recruit. It was the fourth novel by Conrad I've read after Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness and Almayer’s Folly. All of them were masterpieces, each in its unique way. I have been always impressed by Conrad's style, his ability to depict far away places and express moral dilemmas. The quality of writing in ‘Victory’ is exquisite too which sadly can't be told about the rest, though the novel operates on an interesting premise: Malay Archipelago between Java and Borneo, a girl stolen out of orchestra, romance, 'solitude, shade, and gloomy silence'. Mostly solitude.
If we could distil the beauty of Conrad's language, of his descriptions and observations, it would taste like nectar of the gods. I'm astonished every time I realize that Joseph Conrad was Polish and started to learn English in his twenties.
Chances are my musings are being read now by somebody who is about to start his or her literary acquaintance with Joseph Conrad. I’m begging you on my knees: don’t begin with ‘Victory’. This novel may give you a false image of the truly wonderful writer. Have it for an eccentric, exotic dessert, which will accentuate the taste of the nourishing main dishes you’ve had before. Conrad himself seemed to be a bit embarrassed by this novel. You will sense it for yourself while reading his preface. By the way, if you are a literary kamikaze and decide to embark on ‘Victory’ anyway, please don’t read the introduction before the novel, as it reveals too much.
I was a literary kamikaze myself. Orsodimondo, whose dazzling review was my inspiration, warned me that this is not Conrad’s best novel. Moreover, Orsodimondo's three stars twinkled alarmingly, but I was so determined to experience the author's sense of humour and see the portrait of woman so different from his other female characters.
It looked as if Conrad took into consideration some complaints of his readers and critics. As if they approached him and said ‘Look, Mr Conrad. You write great books, we like them a lot, except for two things: they are utterly depressing and misogynistic. Could you please do something about that?’ This is of course an imagined situation and its possibility is less than scarce. But I had the impression that Conrad was doing his best to fulfil such a request.
There are sparkles of humour in ‘Victory’ indeed: 'What an impenetrable girl you are, Lena, with those grey eyes of yours! Windows of the soul, as some poet has said. The fellow must have been a glazier by vocation.' Nevertheless, I found the overall impression devastating. The humour exists but only on the surface. Conrad’s ironical remarks are like rare fireflies in complete darkness. Darkness as black as the dress Lena had to wear to be invisible in the forest.
As for women, Alma alias Lena is definitely the most profound and complex female character I have encountered in Conrad's novels so far but I’m afraid nowadays some readers might get slightly infuriated with excerpts like: 'Women can deceive men so completely. The faculty was inherent in them; they seemed to be created with a special aptitude.'
I appreciate Conrad's attempt at a more ambitious literary form. ‘Victory’ resembles two other genres: a parable with a clear moral and a melodramatic love story. The contrast between them is an abyss and being constantly stretched over it, I wasn’t having the time of my life.
Will I read anything by Joseph Conrad after Pyrrhic 'Victory'? Time will tell but I'm willing to take the risk. My wounds weren't mortal, after all.
July 6, 2023
Ο Βαρόνος Χάιστ είναι ένας πολύ περίεργος και ιδιαίτερος χαρακτήρας, ο οποίος αποφασίζει να απομονωθεί σε κάποιο μικρό νησί της Ινδονησίας στο οποίο πριν λίγο καιρό υπήρχε μια εταιρία στην οποία ο ίδιος τελούσε χρέη διευθυντή. Η οικονομική κατάρρευση της εταιρίας, τα π��ιδικά του χρόνια αλλά και κάποια άλλα ατυχή συμβάντα τον σπρώχνουν να πάρει τη συγκεκριμένη απόφαση. Μέσω αυτής της της αποκοπής του θα αναζητήσει με έναν διαφορετικό τρόπο το νόημα της ανθρώπινης ύπαρξης.
Τα πάντα θα αλλάξουν όταν αποφασίζει να πάρει μαζί του μια μικρή βιολονίστρια από την ορχήστρα ενός ξενοδοχείου, προκαλώντας έτσι μια εντροπία στον μικρόκοσμο του που εν τέλει θα καταλάβει πως είναι αδύνατο να ελέγξει.
Τα πράγματα γίνονται ακόμα χειρότερα όταν ο ίδιος αλλά και η κοπέλα μπαίνουν στο στόχαστρο μιας περίεργης συμμορίας η οποία αποτελείται από έναν τζέντλεμαν, ένα τυχοδιώκτη και ένα αλλοπρόσαλλο πλάσμα.
Ο Χάιστ για πρώτη φορά στη ζωή του θα βρεθεί μπρος σε διλήμματα και αποφάσεις, τα οποία θα αποκαλύψουν βαθύτερα συναισθήματα και σκέψεις του και βαδίζοντας πάνω στην κόψη του ξυραφιού θα καταλάβει πως κάποιες αποφάσεις παίρνονται μόνο μια φορά.
Συγκλονιστικό δημιούργημα ενός τεράστιου συγγραφέα. Ο Κόνραντ μας ταξιδεύει στην εξωτική Ινδονησία και εισχωρεί στην ανθρώπινη ψυχή με την ακρίβεια ψυχαναλυτή. Ο άνθρωπος, αυτό το τόσο περίπλοκο ον, φαίνεται να απασχολεί τον συγγραφέα μιας και προσπαθεί να δει πίσω από τις πράξεις και τα αισθήματα τον ηρώων του και παράλληλα να εξηγήσει ποιά είναι η κινητήρια δύναμη μας και τι είναι αυτό που μας κάνει τόσο μοναδικούς σαν είδος.
Φυσικά δεν λείπουν οι συμβολισμοί από το έργο του, οι οποίοι σε συνδυασμό με όλα τα παραπάνω κάνουν το βιβλίο αυτό ένα πολυεπίπεδο αριστούργημα, το οποίο παρόλο το μέγεθος του διαβάζεται άνετα και με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον. Στα τελευταία κεφάλαια η δράση γίνεται σχεδόν κινηματογραφική και ο Κόνραντ δημιουργεί ένα φινάλε απόλυτα εναρμονισμένο με το όλο δημιούργημα του. Ο αναγνώστης θα μείνει απόλυτα ικανοποιημένος αλλά και ταυτόχρονα απογοητευμένος που οι σελίδες τελείωσαν...
5/5
Τα πάντα θα αλλάξουν όταν αποφασίζει να πάρει μαζί του μια μικρή βιολονίστρια από την ορχήστρα ενός ξενοδοχείου, προκαλώντας έτσι μια εντροπία στον μικρόκοσμο του που εν τέλει θα καταλάβει πως είναι αδύνατο να ελέγξει.
Τα πράγματα γίνονται ακόμα χειρότερα όταν ο ίδιος αλλά και η κοπέλα μπαίνουν στο στόχαστρο μιας περίεργης συμμορίας η οποία αποτελείται από έναν τζέντλεμαν, ένα τυχοδιώκτη και ένα αλλοπρόσαλλο πλάσμα.
Ο Χάιστ για πρώτη φορά στη ζωή του θα βρεθεί μπρος σε διλήμματα και αποφάσεις, τα οποία θα αποκαλύψουν βαθύτερα συναισθήματα και σκέψεις του και βαδίζοντας πάνω στην κόψη του ξυραφιού θα καταλάβει πως κάποιες αποφάσεις παίρνονται μόνο μια φορά.
Συγκλονιστικό δημιούργημα ενός τεράστιου συγγραφέα. Ο Κόνραντ μας ταξιδεύει στην εξωτική Ινδονησία και εισχωρεί στην ανθρώπινη ψυχή με την ακρίβεια ψυχαναλυτή. Ο άνθρωπος, αυτό το τόσο περίπλοκο ον, φαίνεται να απασχολεί τον συγγραφέα μιας και προσπαθεί να δει πίσω από τις πράξεις και τα αισθήματα τον ηρώων του και παράλληλα να εξηγήσει ποιά είναι η κινητήρια δύναμη μας και τι είναι αυτό που μας κάνει τόσο μοναδικούς σαν είδος.
Φυσικά δεν λείπουν οι συμβολισμοί από το έργο του, οι οποίοι σε συνδυασμό με όλα τα παραπάνω κάνουν το βιβλίο αυτό ένα πολυεπίπεδο αριστούργημα, το οποίο παρόλο το μέγεθος του διαβάζεται άνετα και με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον. Στα τελευταία κεφάλαια η δράση γίνεται σχεδόν κινηματογραφική και ο Κόνραντ δημιουργεί ένα φινάλε απόλυτα εναρμονισμένο με το όλο δημιούργημα του. Ο αναγνώστης θα μείνει απόλυτα ικανοποιημένος αλλά και ταυτόχρονα απογοητευμένος που οι σελίδες τελείωσαν...
5/5
January 23, 2023
Maya---(the illusion of desires)
Did Joseph Conrad ever write a bad novel? I’m sure I could write an essay of a few pages on that, but I’m also sure that somebody already has. I will forbear here. VICTORY is set in Southeast Asia, among the islands of what is now Indonesia, but which were then the Dutch East Indies. A fictitious island, Samburan, is the setting, home to an abandoned coal mining operation and within view of an active volcano which lights up the night skies regularly—a metaphor for menace, for threatening Fate. The story is simple.
A wandering Swede, an educated man from a good family, has cut himself off from all steady society and dedicated himself to that wandering life. He got involved in a coal mining venture which didn’t pan out. His partner returned to England and soon died. The Swede, named Heyst, was left holding the bag. He washed up in a hotel in Surabaya, a hotel run by a greedy, crude man named Schomberg with a cowed, oppressed wife. Schomberg takes a dislike to Heyst, slanders him, says that he probably murdered his ex-partner, and also begins to think that he must be hiding vast wealth from the coal mine deal. Meanwhile a ladies orchestra, not top quality by any means, turns up at the hotel. Heyst gets involved with one of the English girls in it. Schomberg has eyes for the same girl. Two criminals arrive. They play crooked card games, but are ready to rob and murder at the slightest opportunity. Heyst and the girl go off to Samburan to live in an abandoned house. Schomberg incites the criminals to go there, find out where the money is, and get rid of Heyst. He plans to get the girl of course.
Things don’t work out as planned. Sorry, Meatball doesn’t reveal endings.
But the genius of the novel is not this rather melodramatic tale. Of course there’s the atmosphere of colonial Asia—“the tropics”, “the sleaze”, “the natives”, the Chinese who can never speak proper English—and the image of an imitative colonial life which will always be second rate, compared to the “cultured” world of “home”. The story of VICTORY is a kind of yin and yang one, in which the world is divided into those who desire wealth and possessions, desire to dominate others and those who don’t lust after such things. A peaceful man, withdrawn from the world and without attachments, gets sucked into a conflict with criminals who cheat and kill for gain. Perhaps it’s a universal theme, but it’s masterfully portrayed in this novel. The five main characters’ psychology is excellently developed. If you have ever read any Conrad, you can find another good novel here.
Did Joseph Conrad ever write a bad novel? I’m sure I could write an essay of a few pages on that, but I’m also sure that somebody already has. I will forbear here. VICTORY is set in Southeast Asia, among the islands of what is now Indonesia, but which were then the Dutch East Indies. A fictitious island, Samburan, is the setting, home to an abandoned coal mining operation and within view of an active volcano which lights up the night skies regularly—a metaphor for menace, for threatening Fate. The story is simple.
A wandering Swede, an educated man from a good family, has cut himself off from all steady society and dedicated himself to that wandering life. He got involved in a coal mining venture which didn’t pan out. His partner returned to England and soon died. The Swede, named Heyst, was left holding the bag. He washed up in a hotel in Surabaya, a hotel run by a greedy, crude man named Schomberg with a cowed, oppressed wife. Schomberg takes a dislike to Heyst, slanders him, says that he probably murdered his ex-partner, and also begins to think that he must be hiding vast wealth from the coal mine deal. Meanwhile a ladies orchestra, not top quality by any means, turns up at the hotel. Heyst gets involved with one of the English girls in it. Schomberg has eyes for the same girl. Two criminals arrive. They play crooked card games, but are ready to rob and murder at the slightest opportunity. Heyst and the girl go off to Samburan to live in an abandoned house. Schomberg incites the criminals to go there, find out where the money is, and get rid of Heyst. He plans to get the girl of course.
Things don’t work out as planned. Sorry, Meatball doesn’t reveal endings.
But the genius of the novel is not this rather melodramatic tale. Of course there’s the atmosphere of colonial Asia—“the tropics”, “the sleaze”, “the natives”, the Chinese who can never speak proper English—and the image of an imitative colonial life which will always be second rate, compared to the “cultured” world of “home”. The story of VICTORY is a kind of yin and yang one, in which the world is divided into those who desire wealth and possessions, desire to dominate others and those who don’t lust after such things. A peaceful man, withdrawn from the world and without attachments, gets sucked into a conflict with criminals who cheat and kill for gain. Perhaps it’s a universal theme, but it’s masterfully portrayed in this novel. The five main characters’ psychology is excellently developed. If you have ever read any Conrad, you can find another good novel here.
February 2, 2021
Ο αναγνώστης, πριν επιστρέψει στα εγκόσμια, στη γνωστή πεπατημένη του, αναβαπτίζεται σε μια θεώρηση όχι και τόσο πιασάρικη, όχι και τόσο συνηθισμένη, αυτή της απόλυτης αποστασιοποίησης μέσα από τον χαρακτήρα του Χάιστ, βαθιά «σημαδεμένου» από τη νιχιλιστική θεωρία του διανοούμενου πατέρα του.
Μετά την Καρδιά του Σκότους, η Νίκη μού επαναφέρει τους λόγους για τους οποίους ο Κόνραντ με γοητεύει. Αφηγηματική αξιοσύνη χωρίς ταίρι, ευφυΐα, πολυπλοκότητα και ανάλυση μυστήριων χαρακτήρων, δημιουργική ασάφεια που επιτρέπει πολλές ερμηνείες˙ γνήσιο έργο τέχνης που χωράει πολύ σχολιασμό ξύνοντας τα επίπεδά του και π��υ σε εμποτίζει με συναισθήματα χοροπηδώντας ανάμεσα στο ναρκοπέδιο ιντριγκαδόρικων χαρακτήρων.
Κάθε άλλο παρά αδιάφορο βιβλίο, η Nίκη με έστειλε ένα ενδιαφέρον και σκοτεινό ταξίδι στους Τροπικούς για να αναμετρηθώ με τη σοφία και τη χαζομάρα –με την έννοια της γνήσιας αθωότητας- με την κοινωνική αναπηρία, τον Έρωτα, την καλοσύνη και το Κακό, την αληθινή ησυχία που ψάχνουν κάποιοι άνθρωποι που απαιτούν το απόλυτο τίποτα από τη ζωή και δεν καταφέρνουν τελικά να τη βρουν, πέφτοντας νικημένοι… ή ίσως και νικητές.
Αλλά ο Κόνραντ τα λέει σαφώς καλύτερα από μένα στο σημείωμά του:
«Μονάχα όταν η καταστροφή είναι ίση με τη σκοτεινιά της μοίρας μας είναι πιθανό να χάσει την αποστασιοποίησή του ακόμα και ο καλύτερος εκπρόσωπος της φυλής. Είναι πολύ φανερό ότι με την άφιξη του αριστοκρατορικού κυρίου Τζονς, του απλοϊκού Ρικάρντο και του πιστού Πέντρο ο Χάιστ, ο άνθρωπος της καθολικής αποστασιοποίησης, χάνει την πνευματική του αυτοκυριαρχία, τη θαυμάσια εκείνη στάση μπροστά στο καθολικά ανεπανόρθωτο που φέρνει τον τίτλο του στωικισμού. Όλα είναι θέμα αναλογίας. Θα έπρεπε να υπάρχει ένα φάρμακο γι’ αυτού του είδους τις καταστάσεις. Ωστόσο μας λείπει. Πίσω από το μικροσκοπικό αυτό δείγμα του τυχαίου της ζωής ο Χάιστ βλέπει τη δύναμη ενός τυφλού πεπρωμένου. Άλλωστε ο Χάιστ, στην αποστασιοποίησή του έχει ξεσυνηθίσει να επιβεβαιώνει τον εαυτό του. Δεν εννοώ το θάρρος που χρειάζεται γι’ αυτό, ηθικό ή σωματικό, αλλά απλούστατα τον τρόπο, το κόλπο, την ετοιμότητα της σκέψης και την κίνηση που γίνεται αυθόρμητα, πράγματα που κάνουν τον άνθρωπο να διακριθεί στη ζωή, στην τέχνη, στο έγκλημα, στην αρετή και, επιτέλους, ακόμα και στον έρωτα. Ο στοχασμός είναι ο μεγάλος εχθρός της τελειότητας. Η συνήθεια του βαθιού στοχασμού, πρέπει να το πω, είναι η πιο ολέθρια απ’ όσες έχουμε αποκτήσει.»
Μετά την Καρδιά του Σκότους, η Νίκη μού επαναφέρει τους λόγους για τους οποίους ο Κόνραντ με γοητεύει. Αφηγηματική αξιοσύνη χωρίς ταίρι, ευφυΐα, πολυπλοκότητα και ανάλυση μυστήριων χαρακτήρων, δημιουργική ασάφεια που επιτρέπει πολλές ερμηνείες˙ γνήσιο έργο τέχνης που χωράει πολύ σχολιασμό ξύνοντας τα επίπεδά του και π��υ σε εμποτίζει με συναισθήματα χοροπηδώντας ανάμεσα στο ναρκοπέδιο ιντριγκαδόρικων χαρακτήρων.
Κάθε άλλο παρά αδιάφορο βιβλίο, η Nίκη με έστειλε ένα ενδιαφέρον και σκοτεινό ταξίδι στους Τροπικούς για να αναμετρηθώ με τη σοφία και τη χαζομάρα –με την έννοια της γνήσιας αθωότητας- με την κοινωνική αναπηρία, τον Έρωτα, την καλοσύνη και το Κακό, την αληθινή ησυχία που ψάχνουν κάποιοι άνθρωποι που απαιτούν το απόλυτο τίποτα από τη ζωή και δεν καταφέρνουν τελικά να τη βρουν, πέφτοντας νικημένοι… ή ίσως και νικητές.
Αλλά ο Κόνραντ τα λέει σαφώς καλύτερα από μένα στο σημείωμά του:
«Μονάχα όταν η καταστροφή είναι ίση με τη σκοτεινιά της μοίρας μας είναι πιθανό να χάσει την αποστασιοποίησή του ακόμα και ο καλύτερος εκπρόσωπος της φυλής. Είναι πολύ φανερό ότι με την άφιξη του αριστοκρατορικού κυρίου Τζονς, του απλοϊκού Ρικάρντο και του πιστού Πέντρο ο Χάιστ, ο άνθρωπος της καθολικής αποστασιοποίησης, χάνει την πνευματική του αυτοκυριαρχία, τη θαυμάσια εκείνη στάση μπροστά στο καθολικά ανεπανόρθωτο που φέρνει τον τίτλο του στωικισμού. Όλα είναι θέμα αναλογίας. Θα έπρεπε να υπάρχει ένα φάρμακο γι’ αυτού του είδους τις καταστάσεις. Ωστόσο μας λείπει. Πίσω από το μικροσκοπικό αυτό δείγμα του τυχαίου της ζωής ο Χάιστ βλέπει τη δύναμη ενός τυφλού πεπρωμένου. Άλλωστε ο Χάιστ, στην αποστασιοποίησή του έχει ξεσυνηθίσει να επιβεβαιώνει τον εαυτό του. Δεν εννοώ το θάρρος που χρειάζεται γι’ αυτό, ηθικό ή σωματικό, αλλά απλούστατα τον τρόπο, το κόλπο, την ετοιμότητα της σκέψης και την κίνηση που γίνεται αυθόρμητα, πράγματα που κάνουν τον άνθρωπο να διακριθεί στη ζωή, στην τέχνη, στο έγκλημα, στην αρετή και, επιτέλους, ακόμα και στον έρωτα. Ο στοχασμός είναι ο μεγάλος εχθρός της τελειότητας. Η συνήθεια του βαθιού στοχασμού, πρέπει να το πω, είναι η πιο ολέθρια απ’ όσες έχουμε αποκτήσει.»
January 5, 2009
Now and then, we must leave the literature of our day and delve deeper--in time and in literary style. Joseph Conrad has survived time as a classic, because his work is of classic quality. I submerged into Victory as into cool, deep water, to emerge refreshed and moved by the literary experience.
Woe, yes, to the man whose heart has not learned to hope or love (and is love without hope possible?) or trust in life. Without hope, without love, without trust, life is but a living death. Axel Heyst, Conrad's hero of Victory, is a complex man we are deeply drawn to--for he has the heart and he has the high ideals, if not the hope or trust. In his vulnerable youth, Heyst's father stripped him of these tools without which living a meaningful life is a barren if not futile prospect. Yet a man's heart is a stubborn thing in its will to beat with red blood. Even in his willful isolation, a woman's love finds the hermit. Conrad indulges in a little formula damsel-in-distress rescue, and Heyst brings Lena to his solitary island of Samburan, where they slowly develop a kind of haven.
Life has a way of being messy and intrusive, Conrad knows, and so he brings the conflict of the story to the island, undeservedly bad reputation following Heyst there in the often comic and villanous figures of Ricardo and Jones. This showcases the figures of Heyst and Lena. If Heyst's heart does indeed love, and passionately so, then Lena's heart has within it the unconditional devotion perhaps only a woman can fully express. And so woman gives life. The tragedy of Heyst is that he so rarely knows how to express his love. Perhaps the story ends, then, in the only way it can, in sacrifice.
The true victory of this novel is the gift of Conrad's writing. Characters have depth and motion; plot is not overwhelming, but enough to hold suspense; dialogue is real and revealing. Conrad does plenty of tell, not show, which writers are today admonished not to do, but I loved every moment of the skillful telling. He is a master, taking on themes and characters that have lasting value. I plan to read and reread his other works.
Woe, yes, to the man whose heart has not learned to hope or love (and is love without hope possible?) or trust in life. Without hope, without love, without trust, life is but a living death. Axel Heyst, Conrad's hero of Victory, is a complex man we are deeply drawn to--for he has the heart and he has the high ideals, if not the hope or trust. In his vulnerable youth, Heyst's father stripped him of these tools without which living a meaningful life is a barren if not futile prospect. Yet a man's heart is a stubborn thing in its will to beat with red blood. Even in his willful isolation, a woman's love finds the hermit. Conrad indulges in a little formula damsel-in-distress rescue, and Heyst brings Lena to his solitary island of Samburan, where they slowly develop a kind of haven.
Life has a way of being messy and intrusive, Conrad knows, and so he brings the conflict of the story to the island, undeservedly bad reputation following Heyst there in the often comic and villanous figures of Ricardo and Jones. This showcases the figures of Heyst and Lena. If Heyst's heart does indeed love, and passionately so, then Lena's heart has within it the unconditional devotion perhaps only a woman can fully express. And so woman gives life. The tragedy of Heyst is that he so rarely knows how to express his love. Perhaps the story ends, then, in the only way it can, in sacrifice.
The true victory of this novel is the gift of Conrad's writing. Characters have depth and motion; plot is not overwhelming, but enough to hold suspense; dialogue is real and revealing. Conrad does plenty of tell, not show, which writers are today admonished not to do, but I loved every moment of the skillful telling. He is a master, taking on themes and characters that have lasting value. I plan to read and reread his other works.
September 19, 2023
This novel has the appearance of melodrama:
1. They are somewhat stereotypical characters.
2. The exoticism of the places is very relevant (the Indonesian archipelago and, more particularly, the imaginary island of Samburan).
3. The flight of a couple travels to this island.
4. The meeting with a trio of crooks is looking for a treasure enough to satisfy Western tastes at the beginning of the 20th century.
However, Victory requires from its readers special attention, a constant presence in its journey to grasp all the subtleties of the narration (there are several narrators who, most often, have a limited point of view of the events) and the complexity of both main characters, Axel Heyst and Alma (or Lena), who sometimes appear as tangible beings, sometimes as ghosts. Son of a philosopher, Heyst wishes to follow his father's principles in a posture of detachment, reducing the world to a simple spectacle. But his choice is ironically the cause of his downfall. Reality forces him to act because his attitude is a source of backbiting and petty rumors.
I'm talking about loss, and the novel is called Victory?...
That's another contradiction that gives all the flavor to Conradian novels.
1. They are somewhat stereotypical characters.
2. The exoticism of the places is very relevant (the Indonesian archipelago and, more particularly, the imaginary island of Samburan).
3. The flight of a couple travels to this island.
4. The meeting with a trio of crooks is looking for a treasure enough to satisfy Western tastes at the beginning of the 20th century.
However, Victory requires from its readers special attention, a constant presence in its journey to grasp all the subtleties of the narration (there are several narrators who, most often, have a limited point of view of the events) and the complexity of both main characters, Axel Heyst and Alma (or Lena), who sometimes appear as tangible beings, sometimes as ghosts. Son of a philosopher, Heyst wishes to follow his father's principles in a posture of detachment, reducing the world to a simple spectacle. But his choice is ironically the cause of his downfall. Reality forces him to act because his attitude is a source of backbiting and petty rumors.
I'm talking about loss, and the novel is called Victory?...
That's another contradiction that gives all the flavor to Conradian novels.
June 19, 2017
If you feel like reading a complex psychological novel that will make you ponder the meaning of life, this is a book for you. Not that you will be provided with any definite answers, mind you. Victory strikes me as a rather ambiguous work, one that is (intentionally left) open to interpretations. Consequently, if you like clear questions and answers, this is not a novel for you, for there is a lot to ponder in this one. Nevertheless, I must hurry to add the novel is not written as a meditative/philosophical essay or anything like that. Not at all. This philosophical aspect of the novel is what first comes to my mind because it is what (personally) interests me the most, but really there is the main story, sub- stories, plot and all- for some perhaps this main ‘story’ is the most important aspect of the novel. For me it is the character study, but these things are always subjective.
So, If I were to be more objective, I would have to add that there is a romantic story within this novel. On surface, it is a love story with elements of adventure. You have a typical 'damsel in distress' syndrome- a young lady in love with a man who offered her protection plus a whole cast of villains to spice things up. That does sound like an adventure, doesn’t it? There is more than romance and adventure to this novel, though. Once the action picks up, Victory turns into a psychological thriller. In a way, perhaps it is possible to say there are elements of psychological thriller from the very start- but naturally this is open to interpretation. I won’t attempt to put this novel into any fixed category. However, I will say that if you go into this one expecting Conrad to weave infinite meaning into a story and show off this mastery over language, well you won’t be disappointed.
Basically, many typical ‘Conrad’ elements and formulas are present in this one. In Victory you will find an impressive cast of characters, introduced and described within a complicated narrative that somehow manages to feel intimate. I always wondered how Conrad manages to do that, but now that I think of it, he’s hardly the first English author who has used a complicated narrative voice (think of Wuthering Heights) and managed to make it sound plausible. Conrad is a great writer, no doubt about that- and as I already said, Victory is written in his signature style. Typically for Conrad, the protagonist of the novel will face moral dilemmas and re-examine his view of the world. The setting for this novel is a tropical destination, inhabited by both locals and Europeans. Hence, there are some ‘colonial’ references. I would say that a motif of cultural and civilization clash is present, but not very prominent. The ending might appear rushed, but I think it was actually carefully planned. The slow introduction is necessary because of the detailed character study.
The protagonist of this novel, Heyst, needs a long introduction because it is the only way we can truly understand his actions (in my opinion). Imagine if we didn't know anything about his past, well, we (readers) would probably judge him insensitive. Personally, I found Heyst absolutely fascinating. As a young man, Heyst was disappointed in life. His dying father installed mistrust towards life into him, resulting with the young man somewhat autistic attitude towards life. He is content with only observing life. However, when Heyst stumbles against a desperate Portuguese man, he decides to pay his depth. This bounds him to his man, both in friendship and in a feeling of responsibility. For isn’t a feeling of responsibility one of the defining characteristics of friendship? This friendship is perhaps the very first connection between the reader and the protagonist because it is what makes us emphasize with Heyst and see him as a real person. What follow is a sad but memorable tale. The sadness of this novel is for most part subtle, only reaching its peak towards the end, but for me that makes it none the less profound.
I have read the Note to the first edition written by Joseph Conrad himself, but I'm still not certain why this novel is called Victory. Taking in consideration the ending and the atmosphere of Shakespearean tragedy, one does wonder what the title is supposed to mean. Conrad explained it as a some kind of omen, saying that:
Historical circumstances set aside, the title still made me wonder. Perhaps Conrad himself acted on an impulse when he choose it. Not that it wasn't a good impulse. Stil.... Who is really victorious? I gave the matter some thought and an answer presented itself. Why, Lena! Previously I read several works by Joseph Conrad ( Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim , Nostromo )but never have I met with such a powerful female protagonist. This was most refreshing. Lena's capability for love and loyalty is all the more impressive taken the circumstances of her life. This is the first novel of Conrad's that I read, featuring a female character that takes things into her hands. Lena, a young woman who finds herself growing up and living in the most unhappy of circumstances, is anything but a victim. Ultimately, you could say she's the victim of life (but haven't we all) yet there is nothing about her that suggest a victim. In other Conrad's works that I read, female characters were (almost always) distant figures. Lena takes not only her own life at her hands, but she is ready to act to save the lives of others. Needless to say, I really warmed up to her. Moreover, this character is such an important part of this story. Lena offers a fascinating study not only of relationship between the opposing sexes, but between a society and an individual. Despite being an outcast of some kind, Lena has a very strong sense of morality, of herself. She is very much a defined character and an individual.
If I remember the Author’s note well, Conrad explain that he was inspired by an actual woman when he was creating Lena- it was a brief but obviously memorable encounter. On one occasion, Conrad saw a young women being pinched by her (presumably) mother while she was performing (playing piano) on stage. This cruelty inflected by one woman to another, moved him. In a similar way, the protagonist of this novel, Heyst (often called the Swede) was moved by witnessing Lena’s terror and the abuse inflected on her. Like the actual young woman, Lena was a performer (against her will). When the two (Heyst and Lena) meet, there is more than longing (on her part) and pity (on his part). I saw it as a meeting of kindred spirits and was honestly moved by it.
Both of them are remarkably innocent. Perhaps their 'innocence' might seem absurd to the modern reader, but it makes sense in the context of their lives. Lena is attracted by Heyst because she senses that he is different from others- and vice versa. Aren't they clearly different from most people? First of all, they both lack emotional attachment to other people- more due to circumstances than to their own personal capacity for such emotions. One could say that Heyst in unemotional, yet his life proves it is not really the case. His hermit life is something that needs to be examined to be understood, and it seems that Lena instinctively understands it- perhaps we could call it female intuition? Interestingly, in their relationship Lena seems to be the active party, she is the one who asks for help- in a more direct way than the Portuguese (who had prayed to God but found Heyst instead). Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say that Heyst is completely indifferent and passive. If he was, where would be the tragedy? And there is a lot of tragedy in this novel.
As a character Heyst might appear passive but paradoxically I think he is a man of strong will. It is just that his will was directed towards renouncing the world and now he finds it difficult to find his place in this world. For all the good that exists in his heart and perhaps precisely because of it, Heyst is unable to truly become a part of this world. The author put it like this:
I do recommend Victory, especially if you're a fan of Joseph Conrad. There are many complex messages and questions hidden beneath its touching love story and adventurous plot. There is much more than meets the eye in this one. At its core I would say that Victory is a profoundly sad novel with elements of pessimism but somehow it is also a novel that carries a message of hope. You will have to wait patiently to get to the action part of the book (the second half of the novel) and even longer for everything to unfold (the last few pages are the defining one in terms of characters' destinies). Nevertheless, as readers you will be rewarded for your patience, for this novel is not only beautifully written, but written with great mastery, care and thought.
So, If I were to be more objective, I would have to add that there is a romantic story within this novel. On surface, it is a love story with elements of adventure. You have a typical 'damsel in distress' syndrome- a young lady in love with a man who offered her protection plus a whole cast of villains to spice things up. That does sound like an adventure, doesn’t it? There is more than romance and adventure to this novel, though. Once the action picks up, Victory turns into a psychological thriller. In a way, perhaps it is possible to say there are elements of psychological thriller from the very start- but naturally this is open to interpretation. I won’t attempt to put this novel into any fixed category. However, I will say that if you go into this one expecting Conrad to weave infinite meaning into a story and show off this mastery over language, well you won’t be disappointed.
Basically, many typical ‘Conrad’ elements and formulas are present in this one. In Victory you will find an impressive cast of characters, introduced and described within a complicated narrative that somehow manages to feel intimate. I always wondered how Conrad manages to do that, but now that I think of it, he’s hardly the first English author who has used a complicated narrative voice (think of Wuthering Heights) and managed to make it sound plausible. Conrad is a great writer, no doubt about that- and as I already said, Victory is written in his signature style. Typically for Conrad, the protagonist of the novel will face moral dilemmas and re-examine his view of the world. The setting for this novel is a tropical destination, inhabited by both locals and Europeans. Hence, there are some ‘colonial’ references. I would say that a motif of cultural and civilization clash is present, but not very prominent. The ending might appear rushed, but I think it was actually carefully planned. The slow introduction is necessary because of the detailed character study.
The protagonist of this novel, Heyst, needs a long introduction because it is the only way we can truly understand his actions (in my opinion). Imagine if we didn't know anything about his past, well, we (readers) would probably judge him insensitive. Personally, I found Heyst absolutely fascinating. As a young man, Heyst was disappointed in life. His dying father installed mistrust towards life into him, resulting with the young man somewhat autistic attitude towards life. He is content with only observing life. However, when Heyst stumbles against a desperate Portuguese man, he decides to pay his depth. This bounds him to his man, both in friendship and in a feeling of responsibility. For isn’t a feeling of responsibility one of the defining characteristics of friendship? This friendship is perhaps the very first connection between the reader and the protagonist because it is what makes us emphasize with Heyst and see him as a real person. What follow is a sad but memorable tale. The sadness of this novel is for most part subtle, only reaching its peak towards the end, but for me that makes it none the less profound.
I have read the Note to the first edition written by Joseph Conrad himself, but I'm still not certain why this novel is called Victory. Taking in consideration the ending and the atmosphere of Shakespearean tragedy, one does wonder what the title is supposed to mean. Conrad explained it as a some kind of omen, saying that:
The last word of this novel was written on 29 May 1914. And that last word was the single word of the title. Those were the times of peace. Now that the moment of publication approaches I have been considering the discretion of altering the title-page. The word “Victory” the shining and tragic goal of noble effort, appeared too great, too august, to stand at the head of a mere novel. There was also the possibility of falling under the suspicion of commercial astuteness deceiving the public into the belief that the book had something to do with war.
Of that, however, I was not afraid very much. What influenced my decision most were the obscure promptings of that pagan residuum of awe and wonder which lurks still at the bottom of our old humanity. “Victory” was the last word I had written in peace-time. It was the last literary thought which had occurred to me before the doors of the Temple of Janus flying open with a crash shook the minds, the hearts, the consciences of men all over the world. Such coincidence could not be treated lightly. And I made up my mind to let the word stand, in the same hopeful spirit in which some simple citizen of Old Rome would have “accepted the Omen.”
Historical circumstances set aside, the title still made me wonder. Perhaps Conrad himself acted on an impulse when he choose it. Not that it wasn't a good impulse. Stil.... Who is really victorious? I gave the matter some thought and an answer presented itself. Why, Lena! Previously I read several works by Joseph Conrad ( Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim , Nostromo )but never have I met with such a powerful female protagonist. This was most refreshing. Lena's capability for love and loyalty is all the more impressive taken the circumstances of her life. This is the first novel of Conrad's that I read, featuring a female character that takes things into her hands. Lena, a young woman who finds herself growing up and living in the most unhappy of circumstances, is anything but a victim. Ultimately, you could say she's the victim of life (but haven't we all) yet there is nothing about her that suggest a victim. In other Conrad's works that I read, female characters were (almost always) distant figures. Lena takes not only her own life at her hands, but she is ready to act to save the lives of others. Needless to say, I really warmed up to her. Moreover, this character is such an important part of this story. Lena offers a fascinating study not only of relationship between the opposing sexes, but between a society and an individual. Despite being an outcast of some kind, Lena has a very strong sense of morality, of herself. She is very much a defined character and an individual.
If I remember the Author’s note well, Conrad explain that he was inspired by an actual woman when he was creating Lena- it was a brief but obviously memorable encounter. On one occasion, Conrad saw a young women being pinched by her (presumably) mother while she was performing (playing piano) on stage. This cruelty inflected by one woman to another, moved him. In a similar way, the protagonist of this novel, Heyst (often called the Swede) was moved by witnessing Lena’s terror and the abuse inflected on her. Like the actual young woman, Lena was a performer (against her will). When the two (Heyst and Lena) meet, there is more than longing (on her part) and pity (on his part). I saw it as a meeting of kindred spirits and was honestly moved by it.
Both of them are remarkably innocent. Perhaps their 'innocence' might seem absurd to the modern reader, but it makes sense in the context of their lives. Lena is attracted by Heyst because she senses that he is different from others- and vice versa. Aren't they clearly different from most people? First of all, they both lack emotional attachment to other people- more due to circumstances than to their own personal capacity for such emotions. One could say that Heyst in unemotional, yet his life proves it is not really the case. His hermit life is something that needs to be examined to be understood, and it seems that Lena instinctively understands it- perhaps we could call it female intuition? Interestingly, in their relationship Lena seems to be the active party, she is the one who asks for help- in a more direct way than the Portuguese (who had prayed to God but found Heyst instead). Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say that Heyst is completely indifferent and passive. If he was, where would be the tragedy? And there is a lot of tragedy in this novel.
As a character Heyst might appear passive but paradoxically I think he is a man of strong will. It is just that his will was directed towards renouncing the world and now he finds it difficult to find his place in this world. For all the good that exists in his heart and perhaps precisely because of it, Heyst is unable to truly become a part of this world. The author put it like this:
...It is only when the catastrophe matches the natural obscurity of our fate that even the best representative of the race is liable to lose his detachment. It is very obvious that on the arrival of the gentlemanly Mr. Jones, the single-minded Ricardo, and the faithful Pedro, Heyst, the man of universal detachment, loses his mental self-possession, that fine attitude before the universally irremediable which wears the name of stoicism. It is all a matter of proportion. There should have been a remedy for that sort of thing. And yet there is no remedy. Behind this minute instance of life’s hazards Heyst sees the power of blind destiny. Besides, Heyst in his fine detachment had lost the habit of asserting himself. I don’t mean the courage of self-assertion, either moral or physical, but the mere way of it, the trick of the thing, the readiness of mind and the turn of the hand that come without reflection and lead the man to excellence in life, in art, in crime, in virtue, and, for the matter of that, even in love. Thinking is the great enemy of perfection. The habit of profound reflection, I am compelled to say, is the most pernicious of all the habits formed by the civilized man.
I do recommend Victory, especially if you're a fan of Joseph Conrad. There are many complex messages and questions hidden beneath its touching love story and adventurous plot. There is much more than meets the eye in this one. At its core I would say that Victory is a profoundly sad novel with elements of pessimism but somehow it is also a novel that carries a message of hope. You will have to wait patiently to get to the action part of the book (the second half of the novel) and even longer for everything to unfold (the last few pages are the defining one in terms of characters' destinies). Nevertheless, as readers you will be rewarded for your patience, for this novel is not only beautifully written, but written with great mastery, care and thought.
January 30, 2020
What is this for story? I have completed it and I still do not know. Is it a tale of adventure? If that is what Conrad meant it to be, it moves too slowly. All of the action takes place at the end. Is it a romance, a love story? It cannot be classified as such either. The characters are too aloof, too lukewarm toward each other.
Is it meant to be a character study? Perhaps, but I felt not a thing toward any of the characters, neither the primary nor the secondary ones.
An attachment develops between the expatriate London-raised Swede, Axel Heyst, and Lena, an orphaned and destitute fiddle player. Axel lives as a hermit on a small island in the Java Sea where he had been manager of a coal company which has gone bust. Lena is one of an eighteen-strong women’s orchestra mistreated and bullied by the group’s owner and conductor. They are shipped from port to port as cattle, as things, at the whim of their boss. They are to “please” the men at the shows. Now they are playing at a hotel in Surabaya, on Java, which was at this time a Dutch colony. The story covers the period from October 1912 to 1914. These are the two central characters. The story evolves around them, but I doubt any reader will care a fig for either.
There are a handful of secondary characters--a hotel keeper named Schomberg and a trio of three scoundrels who visit the hotel. It is at this hotel where the women’s orchestra is playing. One of the scoundrels, a Caribbean alligator hunter is drawn as a hirsute beast! The lead figure of the trio abhors women, all women. Readers are t-o-l-d of these characters’ peculiar traits but why they are as they are is not explained. Are they put in the story for shock value? For excitement? Because this is intended as an adventure tale? Probably. No, I do not think we are to analyze these figures. What they do doesn’t make sense. Information is lacking. At least Schomberg’s hatred toward Axel should have been explained so readers get a better grip on the events that follow.
Wang is another secondary figure in the tale. He works for Axel. Now I know that racism was commonplace during the colonial era. One might say that Conrad is simply depicting what did exist. In Conrad’s telling, Chinamen are referred to as chinks and Blacks as niggers. Always and many times. There is not the slightest hint that indicates the author sees this as wrong. Not everyone of the early 1900s was racist. I find this aspect of the writing revolting. It disturbed me more than I thought it would. The author’s nonchalance disgusts me.
Finally, I also dislike the prose style. It is wordy. It is too fancy, too grandiose. A writer must fit the prose to the story told. This is not done here.
So maybe this story is meant to be a romance, an adventure tale and a character study, a mix of all three. The problem is that none is done well, in any case, not to my liking.
David McCallion narrates the audiobook. He dramatizes, but not in excess. You can hear what is said. There is too much of an uppity English twang for my liking. I have given the narration two stars. It’s OK.
********************
*Typhoon 4 stars
*Heart of Darkness and Other Tales 3 stars
*A Personal Record 3 stars
*Victory 1 star
*Under Western Eyes TBR
*Lord Jim TBR
*The Secret Agent TBR
*The Nigger of the Narcissus maybe
Is it meant to be a character study? Perhaps, but I felt not a thing toward any of the characters, neither the primary nor the secondary ones.
An attachment develops between the expatriate London-raised Swede, Axel Heyst, and Lena, an orphaned and destitute fiddle player. Axel lives as a hermit on a small island in the Java Sea where he had been manager of a coal company which has gone bust. Lena is one of an eighteen-strong women’s orchestra mistreated and bullied by the group’s owner and conductor. They are shipped from port to port as cattle, as things, at the whim of their boss. They are to “please” the men at the shows. Now they are playing at a hotel in Surabaya, on Java, which was at this time a Dutch colony. The story covers the period from October 1912 to 1914. These are the two central characters. The story evolves around them, but I doubt any reader will care a fig for either.
There are a handful of secondary characters--a hotel keeper named Schomberg and a trio of three scoundrels who visit the hotel. It is at this hotel where the women’s orchestra is playing. One of the scoundrels, a Caribbean alligator hunter is drawn as a hirsute beast! The lead figure of the trio abhors women, all women. Readers are t-o-l-d of these characters’ peculiar traits but why they are as they are is not explained. Are they put in the story for shock value? For excitement? Because this is intended as an adventure tale? Probably. No, I do not think we are to analyze these figures. What they do doesn’t make sense. Information is lacking. At least Schomberg’s hatred toward Axel should have been explained so readers get a better grip on the events that follow.
Wang is another secondary figure in the tale. He works for Axel. Now I know that racism was commonplace during the colonial era. One might say that Conrad is simply depicting what did exist. In Conrad’s telling, Chinamen are referred to as chinks and Blacks as niggers. Always and many times. There is not the slightest hint that indicates the author sees this as wrong. Not everyone of the early 1900s was racist. I find this aspect of the writing revolting. It disturbed me more than I thought it would. The author’s nonchalance disgusts me.
Finally, I also dislike the prose style. It is wordy. It is too fancy, too grandiose. A writer must fit the prose to the story told. This is not done here.
So maybe this story is meant to be a romance, an adventure tale and a character study, a mix of all three. The problem is that none is done well, in any case, not to my liking.
David McCallion narrates the audiobook. He dramatizes, but not in excess. You can hear what is said. There is too much of an uppity English twang for my liking. I have given the narration two stars. It’s OK.
********************
*Typhoon 4 stars
*Heart of Darkness and Other Tales 3 stars
*A Personal Record 3 stars
*Victory 1 star
*Under Western Eyes TBR
*Lord Jim TBR
*The Secret Agent TBR
*The Nigger of the Narcissus maybe
October 3, 2022
Over the past couple of months, I have read nothing but Joseph Conrad. As Victory is the final work in my Conrad binge, I’m taking the opportunity to rank it in a list with the others I’ve read. This is as much for my own reference as anything else. No doubt other readers will have very different rankings of their own, but this is how I rate them:
1. Heart of Darkness
2. An Outpost of Progress
3. Youth
4. The Secret Sharer
5. Victory
6. The Secret Agent
7. Narcissus
8. The Lagoon
9. Karain
10. Typhoon
11. Nostromo
12. The Idiots
13. The Return
Even the works towards the bottom of this list are still very much worth reading. I am now a big Joseph Conrad fan! At number 5, Victory is of course highly recommended…
“The world is a bad dog. It will bite you if you give it a chance.”
1. Heart of Darkness
2. An Outpost of Progress
3. Youth
4. The Secret Sharer
5. Victory
6. The Secret Agent
7. Narcissus
8. The Lagoon
9. Karain
10. Typhoon
11. Nostromo
12. The Idiots
13. The Return
Even the works towards the bottom of this list are still very much worth reading. I am now a big Joseph Conrad fan! At number 5, Victory is of course highly recommended…
“The world is a bad dog. It will bite you if you give it a chance.”
January 18, 2009
I enjoyed this novel from the pen of Joseph Conrad - it may be my favorite of his works although Conrad has the knack for writing consistently good novels that makes it hard to rank them. Victory's most striking formal characteristic is its shifting narrative and temporal perspective with the first section from the viewpoint of a sailor, the second from omniscient perspective of Axel Heyst, the third from an interior perspective from Heyst, and the final section. I found the character of Axel interesting primarily due to his complexity. On a superficial level the novel reads like a melodrama more suited to a muddled opera libretto than a serious work of literature. But upon reflection the allegorical and psychological implications of the action, landscape and narrative structure redeem it as a modern novel worthy to be included with the best of Conrad. I am always more impressed when the author can make a serious work of literature appear on the surface, to be merely a "good story" (eg. Moby-Dick). The story line follows: through a business misadventure, the European Axel Heyst ends up living on an island in what is now Indonesia, with a Chinese assistant Wang. Heyst visits a nearby island when a female band is playing at a hotel owned by Mr. Schomberg. Schomberg attempts to force himself sexually on one of the band members, Alma, later called Lena. She flees with Heyst back to his island and they become lovers. Schomberg seeks revenge by attempting to frame Heyst for the "murder" of a man who had died of natural causes and later by sending three desperadoes (Pedro, Martin Ricardo and Mr. Jones) to Heyst's island with a lie about treasure hidden on the island. The ensuing conflict does not end well and has been compared to the ending of an Elizabethan drama where the stage is littered with corpses. The robust romanticism of Axel and Lena's story continues to haunt the reader long after one puts the novel down.
Another of my favorite writers, Joan Didion, had this to say about Victory:
"I often reread Victory, which is maybe my favorite book in the world… The story is told thirdhand. It’s not a story the narrator even heard from someone who experienced it. The narrator seems to have heard it from people he runs into around the Malacca Strait. So there’s this fantastic distancing of the narrative, except that when you’re in the middle of it, it remains very immediate. It’s incredibly skillful. I have never started a novel — I mean except the first, when I was starting a novel just to start a novel — I’ve never written one without rereading Victory. It opens up the possibilities of a novel. It makes it seem worth doing.” — From a 2006 interview in The Paris Review
Another of my favorite writers, Joan Didion, had this to say about Victory:
"I often reread Victory, which is maybe my favorite book in the world… The story is told thirdhand. It’s not a story the narrator even heard from someone who experienced it. The narrator seems to have heard it from people he runs into around the Malacca Strait. So there’s this fantastic distancing of the narrative, except that when you’re in the middle of it, it remains very immediate. It’s incredibly skillful. I have never started a novel — I mean except the first, when I was starting a novel just to start a novel — I’ve never written one without rereading Victory. It opens up the possibilities of a novel. It makes it seem worth doing.” — From a 2006 interview in The Paris Review
September 30, 2014
I read pretty much everything Conrad wrote back in the 80's but having booked a holiday in Indonesia I had to take one of his far-eastern novels. Great to read about the "dead-calm Java Sea" while looking out over the dead-calm Java Sea. Anyway,
1. No-one writes better than Conrad in English. Some are as good (but different - Pynchon, Dickens, even Updike) but no-one is better.
2. Only those that haven't read him associate him with adventure books for boys. What he is really about is the psychology of life; what it takes to be a man, the nature of virtue and vice, what integrity means, how women usally result in something bad happening - you know, boy's own adventure stuff. Otherwise, what's going to happen to the Empire and how will you cope with the trenches?
But seriously, I'm not going to trivially outline the plot because that wouldn't add anything. JC is a writer of immense stature and everybody should read him (even women who in my experience don't really get him). I read Carol Shields, now it's your turn.
1. No-one writes better than Conrad in English. Some are as good (but different - Pynchon, Dickens, even Updike) but no-one is better.
2. Only those that haven't read him associate him with adventure books for boys. What he is really about is the psychology of life; what it takes to be a man, the nature of virtue and vice, what integrity means, how women usally result in something bad happening - you know, boy's own adventure stuff. Otherwise, what's going to happen to the Empire and how will you cope with the trenches?
But seriously, I'm not going to trivially outline the plot because that wouldn't add anything. JC is a writer of immense stature and everybody should read him (even women who in my experience don't really get him). I read Carol Shields, now it's your turn.
July 10, 2020
Although dreamlike this was a delicious journey through the dilemmas of existence and fate. I started this novel with no expectations as I often have recoiled from Conrad's works in the past. However, after reading his The Secret Sharer and Falk: A Reminiscence recently I had become a bit more curious. His language is different in its swirls and syntax at the same time as he attempts to describe layers of the psychology of his characters intertwined with the pulsations of nature. It is charming in its own unique way. The destinies of the Swede Heyst and Lena unfold in conjunction with the waves, wind, the blazing heat of the tropics and the seemingly majestic force of the trees, plants and insects surrounding them. Human lives seem to matter less in this almost eternal setting of nature, but Conrad yet attempts to focus on the patterns of existence and motivation as different lives intersect. The more I read the more curious I became about Joseph Conrad as he seemingly occupies his own unique niche with his writing style as well as themes. As the pages unfolded I became more engaged and appreciated the novel more and more. Is this work about love, fate, or civilization and its discontents? Or perhaps a combination of all and ultimately a reflection of aspects of our own inner lives and dreams? Stellar!
June 29, 2011
The more Conrad I read, the more I love Conrad. Victory is a not just your standard story about good v. evil, innocence and savagery. It is about being an actor in life and love and not just an observer. It is beautiful, sad and powerful.
February 20, 2021
Εξαιρετικά καλοδουλεμένοι χαρακτήρες, υψηλής μαεστρίας από τον συγγραφέα. Δυνατή πλοκή και ακόμα πιο δυνατή η τέρψη του αναγνώστη φτάνοντας στην τελευταία σελίδα!!!
April 13, 2020
"Δεκαπέντε χρόνια τώρα ο Χάιστ περιπλανιόταν, πάντα ευγενικός και απρόσιτος, με αποτέλεσμα να θεωρείται <<παράξενος τύπος>>. Είχε αρχίσει αυτά τα ταξίδια μετά το θάνατο του πατέρα του, ενός εκπατρισμένου Σουηδού που πέθανε στο Λονδίνο, δυσαρεστημένος με τη χώρα του και οργισμένος με τον κόσμο ο οποίος είχε απορρίψει ενστικτωδώς τη σοφία του.
Στοχαστής, στυλίστας, άνθρωπος του κόσμου στον καιρό του, ο πρεσβύτερος Χάιστ είχε αρχίσει λαχταρώντας να γνωρίσει όλες τις χάρες, τις χάρες που νιώθουν οι μεγάλοι και οι ταπεινοί, οι ανόητοι και οι σοφοί. Περισσότερα από εξήντα χρόνια έσερνε στην οδυνηρή γη μας την πιο κουρασμένη, την πιο ανήσυχη ψυχή που είχε διαμορφώσει ποτέ ο πολιτισμός μας για να επιτύχει τη θλίψη και την απώλεια κάθε ψευδαίσθησης. Δε θα μπορούσε κανείς να του αρνηθεί ένα είδος μεγαλείου, γιατί ήταν δυστυχισμένος με τρόπο άγνωστο στις μέτριες ψυχές. [...] που έγραφε τότε το τελευταίο του βιβλίο. Στο έργο αυτό στο τέρμα της ζωής του, διεκδικούσε για λογαριασμό της ανθρωπότητας το δικαίωμα της απόλυτης ηθικής και διανοητικής ελευθερίας, στην οποία ο ίδιος δεν έδινε πια καμιάν αξία."
"[...]Ο νεαρός έμαθε να στοχάζεται, πράγμα καταστρεπτικό, με σοβαρό κόστος. Τον κόσμο δεν τον κερδίζουν όσοι μπορούν να βλέπουν καθαρά. Τα μεγάλα επιτεύγματα επιτυγχάνονται μέσα σε μια ευλογημένη, ζεστή, πνευματική ομίχλη που οι ανελέητες, παγωμένες ριπές της πατρικής ανάλυσης είχαν διώξει μακριά από το γιο.
"Θα περιπλανηθώ", είχε πει αποφασιστικά στον εαυτό του.
Δεν εννοούσε διανοητικά ή συναισθηματικά ή ηθικά. Εννοούσε ότι θα περιπλανιόταν συνολικά και κυριολεκτικά, με το σώμα και την ψυχή, σαν φύλλο που παρασέρνουν τα ρεύματα των ανέμων κάτω από τα ακίνητα δέντρα του δάσους. Ότι θα περιπλανιόταν χωρίς να πιαστεί ποτέ από τίποτα.
"Θα είναι η άμυνά μου ενάντια στη ζωή", είχε πει στον εαυτό του με κάτι σαν εσωτερική συνείδηση του ότι για ένα γιο τέτοιου πατέρα δεν υπήρχε αξιόλογη εναλλακτική λύση."
Στοχαστής, στυλίστας, άνθρωπος του κόσμου στον καιρό του, ο πρεσβύτερος Χάιστ είχε αρχίσει λαχταρώντας να γνωρίσει όλες τις χάρες, τις χάρες που νιώθουν οι μεγάλοι και οι ταπεινοί, οι ανόητοι και οι σοφοί. Περισσότερα από εξήντα χρόνια έσερνε στην οδυνηρή γη μας την πιο κουρασμένη, την πιο ανήσυχη ψυχή που είχε διαμορφώσει ποτέ ο πολιτισμός μας για να επιτύχει τη θλίψη και την απώλεια κάθε ψευδαίσθησης. Δε θα μπορούσε κανείς να του αρνηθεί ένα είδος μεγαλείου, γιατί ήταν δυστυχισμένος με τρόπο άγνωστο στις μέτριες ψυχές. [...] που έγραφε τότε το τελευταίο του βιβλίο. Στο έργο αυτό στο τέρμα της ζωής του, διεκδικούσε για λογαριασμό της ανθρωπότητας το δικαίωμα της απόλυτης ηθικής και διανοητικής ελευθερίας, στην οποία ο ίδιος δεν έδινε πια καμιάν αξία."
"[...]Ο νεαρός έμαθε να στοχάζεται, πράγμα καταστρεπτικό, με σοβαρό κόστος. Τον κόσμο δεν τον κερδίζουν όσοι μπορούν να βλέπουν καθαρά. Τα μεγάλα επιτεύγματα επιτυγχάνονται μέσα σε μια ευλογημένη, ζεστή, πνευματική ομίχλη που οι ανελέητες, παγωμένες ριπές της πατρικής ανάλυσης είχαν διώξει μακριά από το γιο.
"Θα περιπλανηθώ", είχε πει αποφασιστικά στον εαυτό του.
Δεν εννοούσε διανοητικά ή συναισθηματικά ή ηθικά. Εννοούσε ότι θα περιπλανιόταν συνολικά και κυριολεκτικά, με το σώμα και την ψυχή, σαν φύλλο που παρασέρνουν τα ρεύματα των ανέμων κάτω από τα ακίνητα δέντρα του δάσους. Ότι θα περιπλανιόταν χωρίς να πιαστεί ποτέ από τίποτα.
"Θα είναι η άμυνά μου ενάντια στη ζωή", είχε πει στον εαυτό του με κάτι σαν εσωτερική συνείδηση του ότι για ένα γιο τέτοιου πατέρα δεν υπήρχε αξιόλογη εναλλακτική λύση."
March 7, 2015
From BBC Radio 4 - Drama:
The world premiere of Harold Pinter's screenplay of Josef Conrad's last major novel, in a special adaptation for radio by Sir Richard Eyre.
It's 1900 in the Dutch East Indies. Disenchanted with life and humanity, Heyst, a mysterious Swedish Baron, lives alone on a deserted island.
He believes he can avoid suffering by cutting himself off from others, but his life is altered when he visits the neighbouring island for a doctor's check up. Here he meets and falls in love with Lena, a young English violinist, travelling across the Pacific with a small commercial ladies Orchestra.
Surrounded by predatory older men, including the hotel manager Schomberg, she is drawn to Heyst and the sense of mystery that surrounds him. Together, in the middle of the night, they escape by boat to his island.
Sound Design: John Leonard and Wilfredo Acosta
Director: Richard Eyre
Narrator: Simon Russell Beale.
The world premiere of Harold Pinter's screenplay of Josef Conrad's last major novel, in a special adaptation for radio by Sir Richard Eyre.
It's 1900 in the Dutch East Indies. Disenchanted with life and humanity, Heyst, a mysterious Swedish Baron, lives alone on a deserted island.
He believes he can avoid suffering by cutting himself off from others, but his life is altered when he visits the neighbouring island for a doctor's check up. Here he meets and falls in love with Lena, a young English violinist, travelling across the Pacific with a small commercial ladies Orchestra.
Surrounded by predatory older men, including the hotel manager Schomberg, she is drawn to Heyst and the sense of mystery that surrounds him. Together, in the middle of the night, they escape by boat to his island.
Sound Design: John Leonard and Wilfredo Acosta
Director: Richard Eyre
Narrator: Simon Russell Beale.
February 17, 2012
I will in all likelihood remember "Victory" as one of the more inconsistent reads I've ever encountered, not in terms of tone, style or plot but in terms of my fluctuating interest in the tale Conrad spun and what he wanted to say with it. Often I felt myself pushed away by a lumbering pace and wooden caricatures to the outer ionosphere of reader absorption, nearing a point where the thin gravity of my interest in its grander themes was the only thing keeping me from snapping off into orbit and relegating the book unfinished to the dusty shelves. Then, the book would pull me back in by way of a beautifully phrased summation of Heyst's life or philosophy, which is what I seemed to admire and/or connect with most about "Victory". In fact, my problem with the first third of the book was not knowing more about Heyst - far too many pages are used up on Schomberg and the villains, who to me felt more goofy than menacing.
The book's characterizations also dip in and out of authenticity and humanity. Perhaps we are meant to feel detached from Heyst for much of the story, unable to truly "touch" him, as it were. But the girl Lena and his Chinese island companion Wang are, for the most part, two-dimensional, every once in a while popping into the third-dimension albeit all-too-briefly, yet just enough to keep my hand turning the pages. I also found the presence of the strange wildman Pedro completely inexplicable and rather campy, which served further to undermine the villains' menace.
The novel retains very hearty, muscular prose throughout. It's regrettable that Conrad's beautiful line-by-line style, in conjunction with a very promising premise, wasn't married to fuller, more believable characters and better pacing.
The book's characterizations also dip in and out of authenticity and humanity. Perhaps we are meant to feel detached from Heyst for much of the story, unable to truly "touch" him, as it were. But the girl Lena and his Chinese island companion Wang are, for the most part, two-dimensional, every once in a while popping into the third-dimension albeit all-too-briefly, yet just enough to keep my hand turning the pages. I also found the presence of the strange wildman Pedro completely inexplicable and rather campy, which served further to undermine the villains' menace.
The novel retains very hearty, muscular prose throughout. It's regrettable that Conrad's beautiful line-by-line style, in conjunction with a very promising premise, wasn't married to fuller, more believable characters and better pacing.
December 11, 2023
One of my favorite writers is Graham Greene and one of his favorite writers is Joseph Conrad-thus, I feel he deserves my attention for that reason alone. But Conrad casts a much larger shadow than that. I read Heart of Darkness in high school and was impressed by the artistry of the story as much as the film it later inspired. I felt the need to read more Conrad in my post-college days and read Lord Jim and in recent years and The Secret Agent, since it was referenced heavily in the post 9/11 days by journalists trying to make sense of the terrorist attacks. I found myself reading Victory since two separate authors in interviews in The Believer’s Book of Writers Talking To Writers said they always read this book before writing their next novels. It is set in the Indonesian isles of the South China Sea and is exotic by location alone, but it is also exotic in its portrayal of lonely damaged Europeans residing there. It is a fairly simple story that is painstakingly told in subtle details of character and emotion-it seems people had more time to leisurely read in Conrad’s time I guess. It seems to end somewhat ambiguously despite also ending tragically. I’ll be back to read more Conrad in the future-it was time well spent.
May 31, 2020
"Από τα στρατηγήματα της ζωής σκληρότερο είναι η παρηγοριά της αγάπης-και το πιο ύπουλο, γιατί η επιθυμία είναι το κρεβάτι των ονείρων"...
Κόνραντ... παρόλο που είναι πολωνικής καταγωγής τον κατατάσσω μαζί με τους μεγάλους Ρώσους συγγραφείς στους τεχνίτες του ψυχογραφήματος στην λογοτεχνία
Κόνραντ... παρόλο που είναι πολωνικής καταγωγής τον κατατάσσω μαζί με τους μεγάλους Ρώσους συγγραφείς στους τεχνίτες του ψυχογραφήματος στην λογοτεχνία
August 11, 2016
What is interesting about Conrad is that he is a writer with one foot in the Victorian age (as in the manner of his storytelling) and one in the modern age (as in his characters and themes). The book’s sensibility is reflective of this disconcerting dualism.
For me, the main theme that emerges is that of detachment and isolationism and their consequences. For various reasons, Heyst removes himself from the world, wanting no part of it. But the world will not be ignored and eventually comes to find him. (In some ways, it’s a variation on the theme explored in his earlier book, Lord Jim.)
The result is tragedy – or perhaps it’s better described as comic tragedy due to the incompetence of the three envoys of the outside world. (You’ll have to read the book to understand what I mean.)
Axel Heyst is the main character but another key character is that of Lena, the young woman he rescues and falls in love with. This is the one part of the novel where I have some difficulty with Conrad (though not so much as to dislike the book). When it comes to describing her and scenes involving her (particularly those with Heyst) the prose is overwrought and melodramatic. In some cases, as when it relates to what Heyst thinks and feels about her, or in the way he speaks to her, it could be a reflection of the character’s idealization of her.
Overall, however, I think it is primarily a result of the era’s view of women and men and their places in the world. Appealing though it may have been to the audience of the time, it sounds an off-key note to a more contemporary audience. Curiously, however, the female characters generally prove to be stronger and smarter (and more long-suffering) than the male characters, particularly main characters (like Heyst) in Conrad’s stories. Yet he cannot seem to write about them in that way. Once again, it’s that strange dualism of being part Victorian and part modern.
In the end, this is a very good story — particularly if you like adventure stories with characters rather than caricatures. It’s a wonderful read but it is a novel that wants to breathe – it won’t be rushed. Conrad’s a wordy bugger.
But if you allow it room to breathe you’ll definitely be rewarded.
For me, the main theme that emerges is that of detachment and isolationism and their consequences. For various reasons, Heyst removes himself from the world, wanting no part of it. But the world will not be ignored and eventually comes to find him. (In some ways, it’s a variation on the theme explored in his earlier book, Lord Jim.)
The result is tragedy – or perhaps it’s better described as comic tragedy due to the incompetence of the three envoys of the outside world. (You’ll have to read the book to understand what I mean.)
Axel Heyst is the main character but another key character is that of Lena, the young woman he rescues and falls in love with. This is the one part of the novel where I have some difficulty with Conrad (though not so much as to dislike the book). When it comes to describing her and scenes involving her (particularly those with Heyst) the prose is overwrought and melodramatic. In some cases, as when it relates to what Heyst thinks and feels about her, or in the way he speaks to her, it could be a reflection of the character’s idealization of her.
Overall, however, I think it is primarily a result of the era’s view of women and men and their places in the world. Appealing though it may have been to the audience of the time, it sounds an off-key note to a more contemporary audience. Curiously, however, the female characters generally prove to be stronger and smarter (and more long-suffering) than the male characters, particularly main characters (like Heyst) in Conrad’s stories. Yet he cannot seem to write about them in that way. Once again, it’s that strange dualism of being part Victorian and part modern.
In the end, this is a very good story — particularly if you like adventure stories with characters rather than caricatures. It’s a wonderful read but it is a novel that wants to breathe – it won’t be rushed. Conrad’s a wordy bugger.
But if you allow it room to breathe you’ll definitely be rewarded.
October 8, 2014
Strange to read a classic, be caught up in its story, only to find myself surfacing two thirds through and realizing that the thing is flawed. Heavy-handed Christian allegory, bizarre and artificial conceptions of gender (even for the time), unresolved narrative gaps—Victory is a book that wants to be beautiful, but stumbles too much in being meaningful. Yes, this isn't out of character for contemporary works (or even some unfortunate books of our moment), but the further the narrative carries, the more obvious is Joseph Conrad's gesturing. Or rather, the problem, for me, might be that his gesturing becomes obvious despite an equally obvious attempt to masque it. Like the character Ricardo, who disdains what he considers to be "artful" as in someway dishonest in how it cheats (and much more so when he can detect artfulness), I grew exhausted with Conrad's attempts at sleight of hand as soon as I noticed them. All the worse that I began the novel oblivious to his wiles, and allowed myself to enjoy the stiltedness of this uniquely colonial story. In fact, in some ways, this is masterfully written for the first half, maybe even more. But it tatters on its way out.
Furthermore, in this book Conrad reminds me of an elderly relation who makes embarrassingly racist and sexist statements at the dinner table, and which I might try to ignore in knowing that "they come from another time." When it comes to a book, though, I think the expectation is that it must be superb despite its politics, and only then can we grimace through its outmoded viewpoints. I don't think the final assessment of Victory, though, gives it that same freedom. Instead, I think it turns out to be rather instructive of what "great men of letters" thought of the world, and how little that probably corresponded with reality.
Furthermore, in this book Conrad reminds me of an elderly relation who makes embarrassingly racist and sexist statements at the dinner table, and which I might try to ignore in knowing that "they come from another time." When it comes to a book, though, I think the expectation is that it must be superb despite its politics, and only then can we grimace through its outmoded viewpoints. I don't think the final assessment of Victory, though, gives it that same freedom. Instead, I think it turns out to be rather instructive of what "great men of letters" thought of the world, and how little that probably corresponded with reality.
December 26, 2015
Conrad is pretty damn near the the top of his game in this book!
Which since he's such an exceptional writing genius means that a good time can be had by anyone who's reading - though I don't think it's a spoiler to say that (almost) all of the book's participants come to a bad end.
Unsurprisingly, the colonial content is ... well ... very colonial. Though the smartest, straightest character is Chinese. And the most evil is European.
The women here are clever (either emotionally, or practically) - if more than a little squashed by their circumstances.
In one section, I suddenly realised I was reading the lightest of ironic humour - which I've never associated with Conrad. How lovely to be amused by Conrad!
There is some enthralling cinematic-pace almost-horror. Very shocking! Very exciting!
As well as the sultry buzz of the sweltering tropics; alongside a full assortment of the ways people can go wrong.
Which since he's such an exceptional writing genius means that a good time can be had by anyone who's reading - though I don't think it's a spoiler to say that (almost) all of the book's participants come to a bad end.
Unsurprisingly, the colonial content is ... well ... very colonial. Though the smartest, straightest character is Chinese. And the most evil is European.
The women here are clever (either emotionally, or practically) - if more than a little squashed by their circumstances.
In one section, I suddenly realised I was reading the lightest of ironic humour - which I've never associated with Conrad. How lovely to be amused by Conrad!
There is some enthralling cinematic-pace almost-horror. Very shocking! Very exciting!
As well as the sultry buzz of the sweltering tropics; alongside a full assortment of the ways people can go wrong.
December 6, 2022
An intriguing, compelling, suspenseful novel about the ambiguities of human relationships. Set on a remote, largely unpopulated island of Samburan in the East Indies. When Heyst’s boss dies, Heyst remains alone in a house of the island with Wang and his Chinese wife. Heyst occasionally visits a nearby island where he becomes acquainted with hotel keeper Schomberg. Heyst meets Lena, a young performer in the ladies orchestra. Schomberg lustfully pursues Lena. Heyst offers to protect Lena and takes her to Samburan island.
On Samburan, Heyst and Lena live together, in love. Schomberg wrecks his revenge on Heyst for taking Lena, by directing a desperate trio of robbers to Samburan island where Schomberg lies by stating Heyst is rich and has treasure on the island. The trio are Mr Jones, Martin Ricardo and Pedro.
Joseph Conrad fans should find this book a satisfying, rewarding reading experience.
This book was first published in 1915.
On Samburan, Heyst and Lena live together, in love. Schomberg wrecks his revenge on Heyst for taking Lena, by directing a desperate trio of robbers to Samburan island where Schomberg lies by stating Heyst is rich and has treasure on the island. The trio are Mr Jones, Martin Ricardo and Pedro.
Joseph Conrad fans should find this book a satisfying, rewarding reading experience.
This book was first published in 1915.
March 18, 2017
Eu já havia lido 3 livros dele e os achei um pouco difíceis. Esse aqui foi diferente, me senti envolvida desde as primeiras linhas.
Publicado em 1915 traz como protagonista Axel Heyst, um homem que sofreu desde a infância a influência de seu pai, filósofo pessimista que pregava que o mundo era local de dor e ilusão. Heyst acredita então que viver isolado, sem ter nenhum vínculo humano evitará que ele possa ser derrotado pelo mundo. O livro mostrará os dois momentos de sua vida em que isso não foi possível, e o que cada um desses laços acarretou.
O livro é irretocável desde o primeiro parágrafo, não consigo apontar nenhum problema nele: trama, narrativa, personagens, desfecho...
É quase na metade do livro que a gente percebe o rumo que a história vai tomar, mas mesmo nos preâmbulos o livro é complemente envolvente. A partir daí temos uma espécie de thriller psicológico, a trama vai num suspense crescente, uma situação tensa e prestes a eclodir e é quando se torna impossível abandonar o livro.
A narrativa é magnífica pois Conrad trará em alguns acontecimentos, a mesma situação narrada do ponto de vista de dois ou mais personagens.
Personagens marcantes: além do solitário Axel temos o invejoso e vingativo sr Schomberg, sua esposa que apesar de mais se assemelhar a uma estátua consegue marcar sua presença; o sr. Morrison, Lena e os incríveis antagonistas Sr. Jones e nada mais (personificando a inteligência perversa) e seu secretário Ricardo Martin e sua selvageria instintiva e o quase humano Pedro com sua força bruta.
O que ler agora? Que livro será capaz de superar essa sensação?
Axel Heyst deve ter aprendido algo. Impossível sair incólume dessa vida...
Histórico de leitura
15/03/2017
55% (219 de 400)
"Sou um ser transplantado. Eu deveria me dizer desenraizado: um estado antinatural de existência; mas um homem deve suportar qualquer coisa."
42% (169 de 400)
"Não existe sentimento forte sem um pouco de terror, como não há religião sem um pouco de fetichismo."
27% (108 de 400)
"Toda idade é movida por ilusões, do contrário os homens renunciariam cedo à vida, e a raça humana chegaria ao seu fim."
27% (106 de 400)
"O jovem aprendeu a refletir, um processo em si destrutivo, um cálculo do custo. Não são os lúcidos que lideram o mundo. As grandes conquistas são alcançadas em meio a um abençoado e aconchegante nevoeiro mental."
18% (72 de 400)
"O mundo é um cão raivoso. Vai mordê-lo, se você der uma oportunidade; mas acho que aqui podemos desafiar o destino com segurança."
5% (21 de 400)
"Existe, como bem sabe qualquer garoto em idade escolar nesta era científica, uma relação química muito próxima entre o carvão e os diamantes."
Publicado em 1915 traz como protagonista Axel Heyst, um homem que sofreu desde a infância a influência de seu pai, filósofo pessimista que pregava que o mundo era local de dor e ilusão. Heyst acredita então que viver isolado, sem ter nenhum vínculo humano evitará que ele possa ser derrotado pelo mundo. O livro mostrará os dois momentos de sua vida em que isso não foi possível, e o que cada um desses laços acarretou.
O livro é irretocável desde o primeiro parágrafo, não consigo apontar nenhum problema nele: trama, narrativa, personagens, desfecho...
É quase na metade do livro que a gente percebe o rumo que a história vai tomar, mas mesmo nos preâmbulos o livro é complemente envolvente. A partir daí temos uma espécie de thriller psicológico, a trama vai num suspense crescente, uma situação tensa e prestes a eclodir e é quando se torna impossível abandonar o livro.
A narrativa é magnífica pois Conrad trará em alguns acontecimentos, a mesma situação narrada do ponto de vista de dois ou mais personagens.
Personagens marcantes: além do solitário Axel temos o invejoso e vingativo sr Schomberg, sua esposa que apesar de mais se assemelhar a uma estátua consegue marcar sua presença; o sr. Morrison, Lena e os incríveis antagonistas Sr. Jones e nada mais (personificando a inteligência perversa) e seu secretário Ricardo Martin e sua selvageria instintiva e o quase humano Pedro com sua força bruta.
O que ler agora? Que livro será capaz de superar essa sensação?
Axel Heyst deve ter aprendido algo. Impossível sair incólume dessa vida...
Histórico de leitura
15/03/2017
55% (219 de 400)
"Sou um ser transplantado. Eu deveria me dizer desenraizado: um estado antinatural de existência; mas um homem deve suportar qualquer coisa."
42% (169 de 400)
"Não existe sentimento forte sem um pouco de terror, como não há religião sem um pouco de fetichismo."
27% (108 de 400)
"Toda idade é movida por ilusões, do contrário os homens renunciariam cedo à vida, e a raça humana chegaria ao seu fim."
27% (106 de 400)
"O jovem aprendeu a refletir, um processo em si destrutivo, um cálculo do custo. Não são os lúcidos que lideram o mundo. As grandes conquistas são alcançadas em meio a um abençoado e aconchegante nevoeiro mental."
18% (72 de 400)
"O mundo é um cão raivoso. Vai mordê-lo, se você der uma oportunidade; mas acho que aqui podemos desafiar o destino com segurança."
5% (21 de 400)
"Existe, como bem sabe qualquer garoto em idade escolar nesta era científica, uma relação química muito próxima entre o carvão e os diamantes."
April 27, 2016
I didn't know anything about this book when I started it other than 2 facts: it was written by the author of The Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, and it was on the Guardian's list of 1000 novels everyone should read.
After I started, I quickly found myself engaged in this somewhat odd story about a very odd man, Heyst. A little farther into the story, I went back to find in which category the Guardian's list had placed this book & was surprised to find it was in the "Love" category rather than the "War and Travel" category I had expected. By the end of the book, I understood the placement! If I had to describe it in one sentence, it would be
While the love story gains in prominence as the plot progresses, the other main theme remains in the forefront. That theme is the power of suggestion or illusion over reality. Schomberg doesn't know or understand Heyst but instead sets a terrible chain of events in motion through his belief in the false image of Heyst he created. Even before Heyst comes to stay at Schomberg's hotel & meets the girl Alma (later named Lena), Schomberg had a long-standing grudge against him. As Conrad puts it:
"Schomberg believed so firmly in the reality of Heyst as created by his own power of false inferences, of his hate, of his love of scandal, that he could not contain a stifled sound of conviction as sincere as most of our convictions, the disguised servants of our passions, can appear at a supreme moment."
This false image of Heyst is then filtered through Ricardo, who adds in his own personality traits, believing all men are like himself. These men are unable to conceive of Heyst as he really is and this inability to recognize reality without the filter of one's own personal experiences is what causes the tragedy.
After I started, I quickly found myself engaged in this somewhat odd story about a very odd man, Heyst. A little farther into the story, I went back to find in which category the Guardian's list had placed this book & was surprised to find it was in the "Love" category rather than the "War and Travel" category I had expected. By the end of the book, I understood the placement! If I had to describe it in one sentence, it would be
While the love story gains in prominence as the plot progresses, the other main theme remains in the forefront. That theme is the power of suggestion or illusion over reality. Schomberg doesn't know or understand Heyst but instead sets a terrible chain of events in motion through his belief in the false image of Heyst he created. Even before Heyst comes to stay at Schomberg's hotel & meets the girl Alma (later named Lena), Schomberg had a long-standing grudge against him. As Conrad puts it:
"Schomberg believed so firmly in the reality of Heyst as created by his own power of false inferences, of his hate, of his love of scandal, that he could not contain a stifled sound of conviction as sincere as most of our convictions, the disguised servants of our passions, can appear at a supreme moment."
This false image of Heyst is then filtered through Ricardo, who adds in his own personality traits, believing all men are like himself. These men are unable to conceive of Heyst as he really is and this inability to recognize reality without the filter of one's own personal experiences is what causes the tragedy.
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